Gun for discharging plastic compositions



April 26, 1938. w. E. sl-'uzla'lsoNDY GUN FOR DISCHARC'ING PLASTICCOMPOSITIONS Filed June 2l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l fihi.

INVENTOR. x//LL/AM E. SHERBo/YDY BY f- ATTORNEYS April 26, 1938. w. E.sHERBoNDY GUN FOR DISCHARGING PLASTIC COMPOSITIONS Filed June 2l, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l y n P l I P l Il! ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 26, 1938UNITED STATES GUN FOR DISCHARGING PLASTIC COMPOSITIONS William E.Shcrbondy, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 21, 1935, Serial No. 27,713

1 Claim.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved andsimplied system and apparatus for placing plastic or highlyuviscousmaterial into relatively restricted spaces e. g., as

5 in caulking joints in building construction and maintenance. Pipe andconduit fitting, and window glazing with plastic material are specificexamples. The invention also contemplates facilitating the handling andapplication of heavy lubricating grease.

Ordinarily, in caulking joints, the caulking' material is applied to thejoints by means of a suitable pressure operated gun or applicator. It isexceedingly diflicult to load such guns with caulking material whensupplied in bulk, due to the peculiar character of the material. Specialpumps are sometimes provided to transfer the material from the bulkcontainers to the guns and sometimes the pistons of the guns are adapt-2 ed to suck the material into the guns. In any case, the loadingoperation is inconvenient and time taking. A further loss of time isoccasioned by the workmen traveling from their work `to the bulk supply.

A specific object is to provide a system and apparatus by whichmaterials of a very sticky and viscous nature, such as creosote, tar,asphalt, pitchand various compounds of the same, and like materials, maybe supplied to the workmen in more convenient form and applied by themto the work without material loss of time and without likelihood of lossof any part of the material. l

The invention contemplates supplying the Workmen with such plastic`materials in discardable containers, each holding a sufficient amount ofmaterial for one charge of the gun, the major portion (and/or all) ofthe discardable container, becoming in fact, a part of the gun.

The invention further contemplates greatly reducing the Waste of timeordinarily experienced in having to load such guns vand to clean them ofaccumulated material that Vhas become so firmlyV congealed as to preventfurther eiiicient use of the gun.

A further object is to provide a piston arrangement in connection wth'adiscardable container adapted to serve as the barrel of an applicator orgun, of the class shown, whiclrpiston will be certain to properly enterthe container and be slid through it,\even though'thewall of the same beirregularsayscuffed or wrinkled at its end or on its inside surface nearits end.

A further object is to provide yanovel and extremely simple adapter `fora plunger operated type of gun, such as will enable a discardablecontainer to be eiectively used as part of the gun mechanism incooperation with the plunger.

Still another cb-ject is to provideanoveldiscardable container forplastic materiaLwhich contain- 5 er is especially adapted to operateeffectively in conjunctionwith'parts of plunger operated guns of varioustypes, and which may be adapted to displace certain of the partsordinarily required to form complete guns to the ends of greatly re- 10ducing initial cost, service cost, operating cost, etc. of such guns.

Further specific objects include the provision of a discardable shippingcontainer for materials, such as mentioned, portions of which con- 15tainer are adapted to serve as barrel, piston, nozzie, etc. parts of agun in applying the material to the Work,-all without necessitatingincreased expense in forming, filling or sealing the container.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description relating to the accompanying drawings, showingthe preferred vforms. The essential characteristics are summarized inthe claim.` :'25

Referring briefly to the drawings, Fig. l `is a central sectional Viewof a suitable applicatorgun apparatus, incorporating the invention; Fig.

2 is a transverse sectional view thereof, as indicated by the line 2-2on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a .30

Vperspective view of the discardable container proper, with conventionalend closures; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. l, showingonly the breech mechanism of gun, and with the piston or plunger inrestricted position; Fig. ,35

V5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified structure; Fig. 6 isa sectional end elevation thereof, taken as indicated by the line 6 8 onFig. 5; Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a modied plastic materialcontainer with end closures in 40 position thereon; Fig. 8 is a centralsectional view of one end of a further modied 'container, and Fig. 9 isa fragmentary sectional view of the breech portions of a still differentgun mechanism adapted for example, to cooperate 45 with the container ofFig. S.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4,-I indicates generally the breech mechanism ofa suitable gun, This includes a hollow stock provided with a cup-shapedshell or breech 3 having an enlarge- 50 ment 4 .forming part of adetachable coupling between the` stock and the barrel 5. l

The discardable container for th-e plastic ma- .terial (see Fig. 3)comprises a non-metallic tube 6, as of paper, cardboard, plastics or thelike, 55

having end closures 1 of conventional cup-like form, telescoping theends of the tube. The cylindrical wall of the tube 6 may comprise theentire barrel of the gun or merely a liner for a relatively rigid barrelmember 8 comprising say a steel shell, this being the form illustratedin Fig. l.

The discharge end of the gun (at the left in Fig, l) comprises, asshown, a tubular applicator snout or nozzle I0, suitably formed inaccordance with the nature of the work to be done, and this may bescrew-threaded to a frustro-conical adapter II having a rim or flange I2shown as threaded onto the end of the shell VI3.

The rear end of the shell 8 has an outwardly and forwardly curved flangeI3, forming a bellmouth to facilitate the entrance of the discardabletube 6, and the flange is mutilated as at I4, Fig. 2, so as to formseparate flange sections I to cooperate with indented portions IB on therim portion 4 of the breech member 3. The shell 8 may thus be coupledwith the breech after the manner of a bayonet lock, and a yieldinggasket is provided at I1 adapted to be clamped between the flange I3 andthe vertical wall of the enlargement on which the rim 4 is formed. Theflange sections I5 and indentations I6 are relatively inclined in awell-known manner to effect compression of the gasket.

The piston or plunger I8, by which the .gun may be operated, is adaptedto be retracted (by means to be later described) so that it may bepositioned wholly within the breech shell 3 (see Fig. 4) after thecontents of a container tube 6 have been discharged. 'The piston fitsthe container tube snugly to effect suchdischarge.

In order to use the gun, the operator merely removes the caps 1,detaches the barrel 5, and slips the tube 6 into the rear bell-mouthedend of the metal shell. The cylindrical portion of the discardable tubeis of such length that the outermost end of it is peripherallycompressed, as at 6a, into the conical surface of the adapter II. Thematerial of the tube, being flexible, forms a valve-like sealingfmeansbetween it and the adapter to prevent any material `from being forcedaround the outside of the tube E or between the tube and the metalshell, upon the building up of pressure on the plastic material in thetube.

The piston, in this form of apparatus, may comprise a head 20, suitablyswivelled on the operating rod or stem 2l, as on a sleeve 23 held inplace on the stem by an end nut 24. The head is provided with the usualflanged washer 25 of flexible material having a rigid backing disc 26adjacent a flange on the sleeve v23. The flexible flange of the washer25 is pressed outwardly by an appropriate annular spring 21, so as tobear tightly on the inner wall of the container tube 6.

Just ahead of the skirt of the flanged washer 25 the head 20 of thepiston is enlarged as at 20a partly to form a retaining flange for thespring 21. An important function of the flange a by reason of the factthat it extends radially nearly to the wall of the discardable tube andis rounded on its front side about as shown, is that the skirt of thewasher will be certain to properly enter the tube, notwithstandingirregularitiesas ridges or flns--on the wall of the tube. The metalflange 20a. irons out or flattens such irregularities before the skirtreaches them.

An important feature of the invention is the relationships between thepiston I8, the inner cylindrical surface of the breech member 3 and theinner surface of the tube 6. In the .withdrawn position of the plunger,above described, the flanged washer 25 peripherally seats into thesmaller diameter portion of the shell 3, the coacting surface, as shown,being formed by a separate sleeve 3U firmly seated in the shell 3. Thesleeve has a shoudlered enlargement 3| at its forward end, the rim ofwhich overlaps the rear marginal surface of the discardable tube G as aretainer and the shoulder is adapted to abut the end of the tube andshoves the tube to final position when the barrel and breech areconnected, as above described. In withdrawing the piston into the sleeve30, the flange of the washer is contracted, (compressing the spring 21),due to the fact that the inner diameter of the sleeve 36 is smaller thanthe inside diameter of the discardable tube. The importance of this isthat when the gun is again loaded and the barrel attached to the breech,the piston may be progressed out of the sleeve 30 into the insidesurface of the frangible tube, and in sealing relation to it, butwithout danger of damaging the inner end or marginal surface of the tubein so doing.

Rearwardly from the breech shell 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thepiston or plunger stem 2l extends through a suitable guiding opening inthe rear wall of the stock 2, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism containedin the stock operates on a set of ratchet teeth 36 on the lower side ofthe stern to express the plastic material from the discardable tube.

The operating mechanism, as shown, comprises a trigger-like lever 31pivoted to the stock and having a spring-pressed pawl 38 at its upperend adapted to engage the teeth 36 and progress the piston oncounter-clockwise movement of the lever, there being a spring detentpawl at 39 pivoted to the stock to retain the forwardly thrust positionof the piston. A reaction roller 4f! may be mounted in the stock abovethe stem 36, adapted to ride on the upper cylindrical surface of thestem `for preventing binding of the stem in the opening 35 of the stock.The operating lever has a spring 4I to hold it normally in theillustrated position.

To facilitate returning the piston to retractedv position, after thecontainer tube .5 has been emptied, a suitable handle .is provided atthe free end of the stem, by which the stern may be turned through adegree sufficient to disengage the ratchet teeth from both pawls 3B and39 (see Fig. 4) whereupon the plunger may be Withdrawn by pulling on thehandle.

It is to be understood that I may make the metal shell rigid with thebreech and provide v the necessary detachable connection (say one likethat shown between the shell 8 and the breech shell in Fig. 1) betweenthe adapter II e. g. and the shell.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5 to '7, no rigid outer tube, suchas the shell 8 of the previously described construction is shown, butthe discardable cartridge or container has a much heavier wall, and isin fact suilciently heavy to withstand the pressure of the plasticmaterial on f it while said material is being expressed from aconsiderably restricted nozzle orifice. Such heavier `walled containeris shown at 50, and may be closed at one end, for shipping, by a sheetmetal end Wall member 5I, sealingly secured to the cylindrical wall ofthe tube as by a continuous folded gripping flange 52, or by a threadedconnection, as desired. The central aperture of the end wall is providedwith a threaded or tapped nipple 53, rigidly secured thereto and adaptedfor attachment of the nozzle or applicator l and to receive a suitableclosure cap 55, or threaded plug (not shown), for shipment.

The rear end of the container U has a conventionally round threaded cap51, say of sheetmetal, this being, for example, the same as frequentlyused in mailing tubes.

The breech shell 60 is modified to the extent of providing internalthreads at 59 to match those of the container tube 50; and thecylindrical surface tl which receives the piston in the retractedposition thereof is (as shown in full lines) formed on the shell itself,rather than on a separate sleeve within the shell. The cylindricalsurface 6I is sufliciently smaller than the inside diameter of the tube5B to function, as does the surface of the sleeve 3U, previouslydescribed, in contracting the hanged Washer of the piston.

In order to use the modified gun, the cap 55 and closure 51 are removed,the nozzle Ill is simply screwed onto the nipple 53, in place of the cap55, and the tube 50 is screwed tightly into the breech shell 60.

The operating mechanism for the modified gun is, as shown, the same asthat previously described, and the parts are designated as in Figs. land fl. Likewise, the operation of both guns is the same, except fordifferences already made note of.

If desired, the applicator snout or nozzle may be of the reversible typecommonly used on oil cans` for household use, wherein the snout has adouble skirted shank (not shown) internally threaded at both ends andadapted to close the end of the container (as by being screwed onto thenipple 55) in two positions, one of which places the snout inside thecontainer. By using such reversible snout as part of the container, theoperating mechanism of the gun would comprise a self-contained unit,with no spare parts to become carelessly lost or mislaid.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, Fig. 8 shows the discardable shipping tube10 as closed at one end by a cup 1i, say of paper, the iiange or rim 12of which inwardly telescopes the tube. This cup may comprise the entireend closure or an additional cap may be used (like 51, Fig. 7 e. g.) sothat the cup 1I may ben-when supplied to the workman-wholly unattachedto the Wall of the tube. The cup is adapted to serve essentially as doesthe flanged washer of the piston heretofore described, and since it isiilled on the inside with the plastic material contained in the tube, itneeds no special support to function as the entire piston in connectionwith some suitable means to shove it through the tube.

The closure member 1I may, if desired, be reversed,so that the flange 12extends outwardly instead of inwardly (not illustrated),-with the resultthat it will be easier to push the closure through the tube, althoughthe surfaces of both the closure and tube are somewhat rough and thematerial forming both, or either of these parts, is highly frangible oreasily distorted.

As shown in Fig. 9, the tube 1D is mounted in a breech device in themanner of mounting the tube in the Fig. 5 arrangement, and the breechhas a space 15 rearwardly of its threaded portion 11, which houses apusher plate 18 in the retracted position of the latter. The plate maybe carried on a suitable stem or rod 19 slidably mounted in the breech,so as to be operated directly by hand (as shown) or by suitablemechanism as desired. A pusher head B is shown on the free end of theoperating stem and the stem is provided with a spring detent deviceoperating in ratchet teeth on the stem and disengageable therefrom topermit Withdrawal of the plate 18 by means of its stern.

It may be mentioned that if the cup device 1I has its flange cementedinto place, so as to seal the end of the tube 10 for shipment, it is aneasy matter for the workman to break the cup loose by means of the plateand stem as an initial operation in discharging the contents of thetube.

I claim:

A dispensing apparatus for plastic material, comprising a relativelylong barrel adapted to receive a shipping tube containing plasticmaterial to be dispensed, and a breech device having a relatively shortbarrel and a plunger head retractable therein and adapted to move intothe tube, to express its contents, a flange on the long barrel and a cupshaped flange on the shorter barrel said flanges engagingeach other as abayonet lock, a compressible sealing ring in the cup shaped ilange whichring is compressed when the bayonet lock connection is established, anda shouldered sleeve inside the shorter barrel having a relativelyenlarged cup-shaped portionV which telescopes the adjacent end of thetube.

WILLIAM E. SHERBONDY.

